The present invention relates to data processing for supporting analysis/judgement based on human sensitivity called xe2x80x9ckanseixe2x80x9d such as fashion sense and preference which is human""s ambiguous reactive characteristic for a sense, and more particularly to data processing methods and apparatus suitable for supporting analysis/judgement which requires high level and various kansei.
A kansei data processing system refers to a system for processing data relative to human""s kansei. This kind of conventional system is described, for example, in Mitsuo Nagamachi, xe2x80x9cKansei Engineeringxe2x80x9d, pp 43-84, (Kaibundo, 1989).
According to this article, when a plurality of adjective groups are inputted from a user, a conventional system (kansei engineering expert system) extracts a main image represented by the adjective groups, narrows down only such adjectives that match well the image, independently selects design elements represented by the narrowed down adjectives, and synthesizes and outputs these elements. If the user is not satisfied with the output result, the elements constituting the synthesized design are independently changed to other elements. Incidentally, the relationship between the design element and the adjective is obtained as an appraised value or score by processing survey results using Semantic Differential (SD) for the whole design including respective design elements with the evaluation theory class I.
As described above, the utilization of the conventional system begins with inputting user""s favorite adjectives. However, the use of adjectives (an image conceived by the user) differs a lot among individuals. Particularly, it can be said that taste in fashion which is complicated, subtle and widely changeable cannot be exactly expressed only by adjectives. The conventional system, thus employing, as unique inputs, adjectives which are different in use among individuals, so that the user""s kansei cannot be correctly analyzed or utilized.
Also, generally in the appraisal based on human""s kansei, the addition nature does not dominate a combination of design elements. That is, a combination of design elements may result in increasing or decreasing its appraisal. More specifically, even if design elements are individually optimized, a resultant combination thereof is not always the best one. From this point of view, the conventional system individually collects appraisals for each of design elements, constitutes a combination of a plurality of individual design elements by a simple addition of the individual design elements, and synthesizes them independently of each other, which presents difficulties in manipulations.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved data processing method and apparatus for supporting analysis/judgement which can eliminate the above-mentioned problems inherent to the prior art techniques.
It is another object of the present invention to provide data processing method and apparatus which can uniformly and stably accomplish analysis/judgement requiring high-level and various kansei such as recommendation of coordinates for fashion goods instead of a human in a sufficiently satisfactory accuracy level.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a data processing method for supporting analysis/judgement includes the steps of inputting an object to be appraised; dividing the inputted object to be appraised into at least one structural elements and storing the elements in storage unit; inputting information indicative of an appraisal for the inputted object to be appraised; and corresponding a combination of elements constituting the object to be appraised to the inputted appraisal, and classifying the correspondence into at least one criterions and storing the same in the storage unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a data processing method for supporting analysis/judgement includes the steps of selecting an arbitrary criterion among at least one criterion; obtaining a combination of structural elements on the basis of the selected criterion; inputting an appraisal information for the obtained combination of structural elements; comparing the correspondence of the obtained combination of structural elements to the appraisal with the selected criterion to identify a criterion; creating a combination of elements constituting an object to be appraised on the basis of the identified criterion; inputting information for designating elements to be changed and elements not to be changed in the created combination; and creating a new combination on the basis of the designation information.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a data processing method for supporting analysis/judgement includes the steps of inputting an object to be appraised; dividing the inputted object to be appraised into at least one structural elements and storing the elements in storage unit; inputting information indicative of an appraisal for the inputted object to be appraised; corresponding a combination of elements constituting the object to be appraised to the inputted appraisal, and classifying the correspondence into at least one criterions and storing the same in the storage means; selecting an arbitrary criterion from among stored criterions; obtaining a combination of structural elements on the basis of the selected criterion; inputting appraisal information for the obtained combination of structural elements; comparing the correspondence of the obtained combination of structural elements to the appraisal with the selected criterion to identify a criterion; creating a combination of elements constituting the object to be appraised on the basis of the identified criterion; inputting information for designating elements to be changed and elements not to be changed in the created combination; and creating a new combination on the basis of the designation information.
The data processing method and apparatus according to the present invention are generally composed of a system to accumulate kansei information and/or a system to use kansei information. In the system to accumulate kansei information, appraisal information on users"" objects to be appraised is collected and classified to create at least one criterions.
In the system to use kansei information, objects to be appraised are synthesized on the basis of an arbitrary criterion thus created, and the criterion for a particular user is identified on the basis of appraisal information on objects to be appraised of the particular user. Preferably, the object to be appraised is synthesized on the basis of the identified criterion, and the particular user can modify structural elements of the criterion.
In the data processing method and apparatus according to the present invention, the appraisal information directly inputted from an input unit by a user is such information as xe2x80x9cDo you like it or not?xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cWhich do you like better?xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cAre you satisfied with it?xe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9cHow about this one?xe2x80x9d, by way of example. These questions are kansei with respect to a direct determination made to objects to be appraised (such as design). Therefore, this appraisal information, different from an intermediate expression of kansei such as the adjective which may differ in its usage remarkably among individuals, allows a more precise analysis of kansei.
Also, since the storage accumulates appraisals for combinations of structural elements of objects to be appraised, if a user is not satisfied with a current combination proposal, it can be entirely replaced with a different desirable combination. Further, the unit for indicating a particular element in a current combination can propose a different combination in which satisfied elements are left and other undesirable elements are replaced. These units allow the user to fast and precisely obtain desired objects to be appraised.